So this is it......

Wednesday 3rd October


In the last week since my last post, I have been busy doing "normal" things with my family.  Picking the kids up from school, Royal Show visit,dinner with friends, movies with my son and breakfast with a friend.  All of this has kept me busy and yes I have been resting.

Had a phone call yesterday late afternoon from my Radiation Oncologist room's telling me about my appointment next Monday.  "Huh.... I have an appointment?"   Thankfully they called to get my Medicare number as I would of missed that appointment as they had neglected to notify me.

I started today enjoying a nice breakfast catchup with a friend.  Came home and relaxed before my appointment with Prof Chan.

At 2.15pm, my hubby and I headed into The Mount.  When we arrived at Prof Chan's rooms I completed paperwork and we sat quietly waiting.  An older woman was with her son, she was wearing a scarf so obviously was undergoing treatment.  I looked at her and again thought "OMG, I'm so bloody young, why the hell is this happening to ME????"

Eventually it was my time to go in and we were greeted by a vivacious woman who I instantly liked.  Prof Chan shook my hand then introduced herself to my hubby.  She asked my some questions, then ran through my pathology.

I have Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (which apparently is the common type of BC) and it's stage 2 (not stressing about that)
I am also hormone receptor positive so will be on Tamoxifen (daily) after treatment.

So... starting to feel emotional at this point.  Prof Chan checks my 1 1/2 boobs and is really pleased with my surgeon's handy work and my recovery.   I pop my bra and top back on and sit back down.  I get told as of right now I have NO cancer cells in my body :)

CHEMO:

My chemo is called TAC  - Docetaxel (T)  Doxorubicin (A)  Cyclophosphamide (C)
and I will have 6 cycles over 18 weeks, which is the equivalent of 1 every 3 weeks

I have to take a pre-med night prior to each  chemo cycle: morning of chemo, night of chemo, morning after chemo and night after chemo

On the day AFTER chemo I need to have an injection of an immune booster in my belly.  This drug is worth $2000 and I need to have it 6 times.  My hubby will learn how to do this injection, this will save us travelling into The Mount.

I was also told I would notice my hair falling out on day 19 after having my first cycle of chemo and the drugs could put me into early menopause.  I could feel the tears coming then and had to reach for a tissue.

Prof Chan looked at her diary and I then asked if I could start my treatment after the CDH Australia CAAF weekend.  She had a think and said this was ok.
I also asked about our trip to Bali in January "should we cancel?"  Prof Chan said I should be ok going but would need to be very careful about sunburn.  Hubby and I will see how my first cycles go and make our decision later.

First day of chemo:  Monday 22nd October at 1.15pm.    The first dosage will run through slowly and will take around 4 hours.  Further cycles will take approx 2 hours.  I was told to listen half heartedly to advice given to me by those not in the medical field and told to follow her instructions to the T.
Prof Chan is straight forward and explained everything to hubby and I.

I will have a heart scan prior to my first cycle and this will serve as a baseline test if there is need to evaluate the heart at a later stage.  For this I will see the lovely man who performed my bone scan.

So this is it.....

I'm feeling scared, scared of what to expect with the Chemo.  I'm relieved that I have (in my opinion) the best medical team looking after me and I'm positive that I'm going to kick this wretched thing from ever coming back.

"Life is not the way it’s supposed to be.  It’s the way it is.  The way you cope with it is what makes the difference" - Virginia Satir

With love
Shaz xxxxxx